Gillard stares down potential ALP National Conference opposition to building watchdog laws

LO: Speaking of construction sites, you're coming under strong
attack from the unions over your insistence that there's got to be a
separate policing body to deal with the construction industry. Will we
see your legislation this week? And how much will the unions win?

JG: Well, when we went to the last election, we gave a very clear
commitment that we would abolish the Australian building and
construction commission and replace it on the 1st of February next year
with a new tough cop on the beat in building and construction. We've
had His Honour Murray Wilcox give us a comprehensive report with
safeguards for the controversial coercive powers that the current
building industry watchdog has. Laurie, it is my intention to bring to
the Parliament this week legislation. It will be dealt with by Labor
caucus on Tuesday. It will honour our promise to abolish the Australian
Building and Construction Commission. It will respond to the
recommendations of what I thought was a very good report by His Honour
Murray Wilcox. And, of course, it will require substantial change to
current Commonwealth legislation, particularly the building
construction industry improvement act.

LO: Will this stop the unions squealing? Or do you expect a further stoush?

JG: Well, the union movement's made it quite clear that it doesn't
agree with the promise that the Government gave in 2007. The union
movement obviously thought - well, particularly, the construction
unions - that we should have moved immediately to get rid of the
Australian Building and Construction Commission, and obviously, they
debate whether there is a need for a specialist inspectorate here.
Laurie, from the Government's point of view, that debate has been had
and it's over. We gave the Australian people a promise and we'll be
honouring that promise.

LO: Well, you say the debate is over, but the unions seem determined to
push this at Labor's national conference next month. If the conference
backs them, will the Government be influenced by that decision?

JG: Well, there will be a clear Government position arising from our
discussions in Labor caucus this week, where obviously, each of my
Labor colleagues will get to consider the proposition I'm going to put
to them and the kind of legislation that should come before the
Parliament. That will be the Government's way of honouring our election
commitment and our response to the very good report of Murray Wilcox.

LO: But aren't Labor MPs bound by conference decisions, if the
conference comes out on the union's side, won't you have to give in?

JG: Well, the Government position will be clear this week, Laurie, and
that will be the position that the Government seeks to move through the
Parliament. As you would be aware, we don't have the numbers in the
Senate –

LO: You ignore the national conference of the party?

JG: Well, what we do is we make the Government's position clear,
Laurie. We were elected to govern. We were elected with a set of
promises. This is a Government that's priding itself - does pride
itself - on delivering what it promised to the Australian people. We've
done that around a range of areas, in my own portfolios of the
education, with the education revolution – we’ve been delivering what
we’ve promised.

LO: But you're dodging the question. I hate to accuse you of doing
that. But I asked you whether you would bow to any decision by the
national conference or whether what you put through Parliament is
final?

JG: Laurie, we will go to national conference and we will be making
clear at national conference what the position of the Government is.
That position will be clear this week.

LO: And the conference can go jump if it doesn't like it?

JG: Well, the Government's position will be clear, Laurie.

For the transcript of Laurie Oakes' entire interview with Julia Gillard, click here.